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There May Be Such a Thing as 'Too Much Exercise'

There May Be Such a Thing as 'Too Much Exercise'

05/15/14

WEDNESDAY, May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Is there a limit to
the benefits of exercise? Two studies suggest that, for certain
people, keeping to a moderate physical activity regimen may be best
for heart health.

One study found that a schedule of intense workouts actually
boosted the risk of death from heart attack or stroke in older
people with pre-existing heart disease, while the other found that
young men who did a lot of endurance exercise were at higher risk
for heart rhythm problems later in life.

However, one expert unconnected to the studies stressed that, on
the whole, exercise is good medicine.

"Folks with heart disease should continue to engage in some form of daily physical activity," urged Barbara George, director of The Center for Cardiovascular Lifestyle Medicine at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. But she said moderation is key.

"You shouldn't feel you have to become a marathon runner to reap the benefits," George said.

The first study was led by Dr. Ute Mons of the German Cancer
Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany, and included more than
1,000 people. Most of the participants were in their 60s, had
stable heart disease and were tracked for 10 years. About 40
percent exercised two to four times a week, 30 percent worked out
more often, and 30 percent exercised less often.

Compared to those who got regular exercise, the most inactive
people were about twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke,
and were about four times more likely to die of heart disease and
all causes, the researchers said.

However, Mons' team also found that those who did the most
strenuous daily exercise were more than twice as likely to die of a
heart attack compared to those who exercised more moderately.

The second study was led by Dr. Nikola Drca of the Karolinska
Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and included more than 44,000
Swedish men, aged 45 to 79. All of the men were asked about their
physical activity levels at ages 15, 30, 50 and during the previous
year. Their heart health was then tracked for an average of 12
years.

Those who had done intensive exercise for more than five hours a
week when they were younger were 19 percent more likely to have
developed a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation by age
60 than those who exercised for less than an hour a week.

That risk increased to 49 percent among those who did more than
five hours of exercise at age 30 but did less than an hour a week
by the time they were 60. Participants who cycled or walked briskly
for an hour or more a day at age 60 were 13 percent less likely to
develop atrial fibrillation.

The studies were published online May 14 in the journal
Heart.

Another expert said the findings shouldn't alter standard
recommendations.

"It is not standard practice to recommend strenuous activity to individuals with coronary heart disease," said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, director of the Tisch Center for Women's Health at NYU Langone Medical Center, New York City. "This study, although interesting, does not change current recommendations for moderate physical activity in coronary patients."

For her part, George said it's clear that a moderate exercise
program can provide real benefit for everyone.

"A large body of scientific research has consistently shown that a sedentary lifestyle is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease, and that becoming more physically active can decrease your risk by as much as 50 percent," she said.

Current American Heart Association guidelines advise 30 minutes
of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise most days a week or 20
minutes of vigorous activity three days a week, George added.

And in a journal editorial, a team led by Dr. Lluis Mont of the
Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain, agreed with the two U.S.
experts.

"The benefits of exercise are definitely not to be questioned; on the contrary, they should be reinforced," the team wrote. But studies like the two published in Heartare fine-tuning recommendations for exercise, to "maximize benefits obtained by regular exercise while preventing undesirable effects -- just like all other drugs and therapies," the editorialists said.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.